THOUSANDS of Australians would have to register their drones like they register their cars, and face on-the-spot fines for breaking flight rules under strict new laws being considered by the government and supported by aviation authorities and drone makers.
And the tough regulations, similar to those enforced overseas, would even apply to some of the smallest drones and to drone pilots who fly the gadgets for fun rather than profit.
The news came as market leader DJI officially launched two new flying machines in Australia yesterday, which experts said were likely to cause a new swarm of gadgets hovering over Australian beaches this summer.
The new drones released by DJI comes with a 20-megapixel, zoom lens camera Picture: Supplied
The new drones included the first with an advanced, 20-megapixel Hasselblad camera, and the first folding drone with a zoom lens, which experts said could help pilots keep drones a safe distance from their subjects.
DJI communications director Kevin On said the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom drones would also feature better obstacle avoidance and quieter operation, and their larger camera sensor and optical zoom would help photographers be more creative.
“It’s going to enable a whole new genre of photo storytelling and what we can do with drones,” Mr On said.
But future drone purchases could also come with new rules in Australia after a parliamentary report into their use recommended all drones over 250g be registered with the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority, that pilots undergo mandatory safety tests, and that law enforcement agencies be allowed to issue on-the-spot fines for users doing the wrong thing.
Experts are concerned drones will be hovering above Aussie beaches through the warmer months. Picture: Toby Zerna
Fines for breaking drone laws, such as flying within 30m of people or within 5.5km of an airport, range from $1000 to $10,000, and more than 30 have been issued so far this year.
CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said the Authority would wait for the government’s response to the recommendations but it was also “well advanced” in creating its own registration scheme to apply to Australia’s estimated 150,000 drone users.
At present the practicalities of policing drone use is still under development.
“We’ve been looking at potential registration for recreational drones and, as part of that registration process, some sort of online training component,” he said.
“If something happens and the drone crashes, for example, under this system you could then match the drone with the drone owner, so it does make enforcement action easier.”
Fines for breaking drone laws can be as much as $10,000, but authorities have had trouble enforcing them. Picture: Supplied
Despite the growing number of drones sold and flown in Australia, CASA currently had to rely on reports from the public and police, as well as evidence posted on social media to track down drone pilots breaking the law.
The parliamentary report also recommended airworthiness standards for drones sold in Australia, mandatory failsafes such as emergency landing and return-to-home features, and banning drones from flying over “significant public buildings”.
Australians would have to register their drones like they register their cars, and face on-the-spot fines if laws under consideration are implemented. Picture: Supplied
DJI policy head Adam Welsh said the major drone manufacturer supported the recommendations, though cautioned that authorities should make it easy and inexpensive to register drones.
“With registration, you finally start to have a way to find out who was flying that drone and I think that’s important,” he said.
“The next step now is how CASA and the rest of government decide to respond and hopefully they’ll take on these recommendations in a way that is easy to comply with and encourages people to get on board.”
The new Australian drone rules would follow similar laws in the US, where the Federal Aviation Administration has registered more than one million drones, and in the UK, where pilots must register their drones by November 30, 2019.
CAN YOU PASS OUR NEW PRE-FLIGHT DRONE TEST?
PROPOSED NEW DRONE RULES FOR AUSTRALIA
- Drones over 250g must be registered
- Mandatory safety tests for registered drone pilots
- Law enforcement bodies able to issue on-the-spot fines for unsafe drone use
- A tiered drone education system where users must pass a test to buy a drone
- No drones allowed above ‘significant public buildings’ or ‘critical infrastructure’
- Mandatory failsafes including return-to-home and forced landing features
- Centralised research facility into drone incidents, trends, registration, and operation
And the tough regulations, similar to those enforced overseas, would even apply to some of the smallest drones and to drone pilots who fly the gadgets for fun rather than profit.
The news came as market leader DJI officially launched two new flying machines in Australia yesterday, which experts said were likely to cause a new swarm of gadgets hovering over Australian beaches this summer.
The new drones released by DJI comes with a 20-megapixel, zoom lens camera Picture: Supplied
The new drones included the first with an advanced, 20-megapixel Hasselblad camera, and the first folding drone with a zoom lens, which experts said could help pilots keep drones a safe distance from their subjects.
DJI communications director Kevin On said the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom drones would also feature better obstacle avoidance and quieter operation, and their larger camera sensor and optical zoom would help photographers be more creative.
“It’s going to enable a whole new genre of photo storytelling and what we can do with drones,” Mr On said.
But future drone purchases could also come with new rules in Australia after a parliamentary report into their use recommended all drones over 250g be registered with the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority, that pilots undergo mandatory safety tests, and that law enforcement agencies be allowed to issue on-the-spot fines for users doing the wrong thing.
Experts are concerned drones will be hovering above Aussie beaches through the warmer months. Picture: Toby Zerna
Fines for breaking drone laws, such as flying within 30m of people or within 5.5km of an airport, range from $1000 to $10,000, and more than 30 have been issued so far this year.
CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said the Authority would wait for the government’s response to the recommendations but it was also “well advanced” in creating its own registration scheme to apply to Australia’s estimated 150,000 drone users.
At present the practicalities of policing drone use is still under development.
“We’ve been looking at potential registration for recreational drones and, as part of that registration process, some sort of online training component,” he said.
“If something happens and the drone crashes, for example, under this system you could then match the drone with the drone owner, so it does make enforcement action easier.”
Fines for breaking drone laws can be as much as $10,000, but authorities have had trouble enforcing them. Picture: Supplied
Despite the growing number of drones sold and flown in Australia, CASA currently had to rely on reports from the public and police, as well as evidence posted on social media to track down drone pilots breaking the law.
The parliamentary report also recommended airworthiness standards for drones sold in Australia, mandatory failsafes such as emergency landing and return-to-home features, and banning drones from flying over “significant public buildings”.
Australians would have to register their drones like they register their cars, and face on-the-spot fines if laws under consideration are implemented. Picture: Supplied
DJI policy head Adam Welsh said the major drone manufacturer supported the recommendations, though cautioned that authorities should make it easy and inexpensive to register drones.
“With registration, you finally start to have a way to find out who was flying that drone and I think that’s important,” he said.
“The next step now is how CASA and the rest of government decide to respond and hopefully they’ll take on these recommendations in a way that is easy to comply with and encourages people to get on board.”
The new Australian drone rules would follow similar laws in the US, where the Federal Aviation Administration has registered more than one million drones, and in the UK, where pilots must register their drones by November 30, 2019.
CAN YOU PASS OUR NEW PRE-FLIGHT DRONE TEST?
PROPOSED NEW DRONE RULES FOR AUSTRALIA
- Drones over 250g must be registered
- Mandatory safety tests for registered drone pilots
- Law enforcement bodies able to issue on-the-spot fines for unsafe drone use
- A tiered drone education system where users must pass a test to buy a drone
- No drones allowed above ‘significant public buildings’ or ‘critical infrastructure’
- Mandatory failsafes including return-to-home and forced landing features
- Centralised research facility into drone incidents, trends, registration, and operation
